


The Council Meeting

by Doug48



Series: Zoo 1.2 [5]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Drama, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-02 13:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17265248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doug48/pseuds/Doug48
Summary: So, I was going to post this several months ago because Chapters 1 and 2 take place during the events of Zoo1.2 [between chapters 7 and 8]. I was not sure how many chapters to include here because this one is more or less parallel with Zoo1.2, and this one will have chapters after that one ends.





	1. Meeting the players

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking in terms of a board of directors here.

The meeting was being held in one of the new conference rooms, and there were eight mammals in attendance. Seven were council members, and one was a guest giving a report. The youngest member, at 25, was related by blood to the oldest, at 71. There were six males and two females. They were all predators because one council member, the deer in charge of predator / prey harmony, was absent this evening. There were five canidae, two felidae, and one mustelidae. Two foxes, two wolves, one jackal, one tigress, one lioness, and one otter. One of the foxes had been doing all the talking for the last half hour. 

The change in location was recently decreed, unofficially, by Grandfather because meeting in the dojo tended to unfairly bias everyone toward the point of view of those councilors, such as the larger fox and the tigress, that were most comfortable in that setting. The official reason was that chairs were forbidden on the fighting area mat, and Grandfather’s knees were not what they used to be. Kneeling, of course, was traditional in a dojo.

“And that concludes my report,” Flynn said and shut down the slide projector. “Any questions?”

“Why, oh why, can’t he use the regular presentation software?” The jackal asked. He looked at the other fox, and raised an eyebrow. Finance was his specialty, and he loved spreadsheets. 

“Don’t drag me into that,” Nick replied, as the smaller fox tried to make a rude gesture at him and not be seen by the wolf at the other end of the table. “He likes the way the plastic feels.”

“So,” the old wolf observed, looking at the screen. “Things are generally positive?”

“Yes Grandfather,” the finnic fox replied.

“Thank you. You may go,” the wolf said. "Leave the slides."

The seven council members waited silently while Flynn prepared to leave the room. He looked a question at Nick, who frowned and shrugged, and then the shorter fox left. 

“So, who would like to begin?” The wolf chairman asked, carefully not looking at anyone in particular. He especially did not look at his grandson, who had again elected to sit as far down table as was possible. The other council members noticed, but no one commented.

Not for the first time, Grandfather wondered what had gone wrong. It seemed only yesterday he had held the pup in his arms and seen such promise. Now? The child did not even realize the importance of impressing these other members of the ruling Council of Fox's Hollow. One of these mammals would rule when the old wolf stepped down. All the others would have to work with him or her, one way or another.

“I think Nick has something on his mind,” Tigris said. She had noticed the fox looking more introspective than usual, and she had heard of an altercation with a sleepy guard.

“Is he wearing a hat?” The otter asked, to general amusement. Few mammals considered Nick to be a deep thinker, after all. The term ‘blunt instrument’ had been used to describe him in the past.

Now, the fox put a paw up to his head and felt his ears. “No hat. I should get one? Maybe something green and sort of conical, with a feather?”

As predators, they could all get scent impressions of one another, and see the various body language cues. If the vulpine was nervous about speaking during this meeting, or worried that Grandfather would be displeased about recent actions on his part, he hid it well. 

“Go ahead, Nick. I’m sure the big bad wolf will be favorably impressed. As always,” the lioness said, watching the tigress. The lioness was here at the table for her tireless drive and boundless organizational skills, not for her somewhat more limited leadership abilities. Nick and Tigris were the leaders in this generation, and each had unique skills, attributes, and power bases. There were, the old wolf knew, benefits and detriments involved in picking either one.

Down table, no one noticed the scowl showing on the muzzle of the young wolf. Or if they noticed, they ignored it. ‘Why can’t he take a more active and possibly even positive, part in these meetings? Being silent like this only makes him look like he’s pouting. Like the child he is,’ his grandfather thought, again.

“Grandfather,” Nick said now, “I want to suggest a candidate for recruitment.”

“Oh?” The tigress said, now truly interested. Grandfather made all decisions like that, and, until recently, he had made all the outside recruitments personally. Everyone at the table had the right to suggest possibilities, but all knew the consequences of a bad choice. Council members had been dismissed for poor choices in the past.

“Yes. A rising star, not as young as I was, or Tigris, when we were selected for Fox's Hollow,” Nick said, careful to include his primary detractor in the conversation. “But, she shows great potential.”

“Yes!” The lioness said, enthusiastically. “We need another female at this testosterone fest!” She didn’t notice the way Tigris winced, slightly, as more than one male stifled a quick laugh. “What?” The lioness asked, now, apparently not noticing Grandfather’s scent change toward embarrassment. 

Many times in the recent past the old wolf had tried to push a suitable female candidate forward, but not many of those he trusted had wanted the job. Among predators, the females traditionally raised the young, and Fox Hollow tended to lean heavily on traditions. Traditions tended to be a stabilizing influence, and the old wolf wanted stability. However, these traditions, and Grandfather's lack of attention to this particular detail in decades past, had resulted in a somewhat male heavy Council today. He had not, unfortunately, always recruited males and females evenly. 

“Who is the lucky vixen, and how did she persuade you to offer her this honor?” The otter asked and made a vulgar hand gesture that everyone ignored.

“Not a vixen. And there was no persuasion by me. Actually, I think I can convince her that she’s recruiting me for her team,” the fox replied, looking at the tigress, and ignoring the grinning otter.

There was a pause, and then Tigris’ eyes narrowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I need to point out that one of the wolves is called "Grandfather" by everyone, and he IS the grandfather of the other wolf present.


	2. The Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn more about how Fox's Hollow works, and move closer to Nick eventually joining the ZPD

“The rabbit?” She asked, amazed. All muzzles, even the youngest wolf, turned to the fox, who gave them time to think about it.

‘Best not to look like I’m being too hasty after all,’ Nick thought. “Yes. The doe. Top of her class at the police Academy. She has a willingness to work with predators such as myself and a burning desire for justice. Well known in Bunnyburrow, but known to be a bit odd. Becoming well-known and respected in Zootopia. Currently well liked by Mr. Big.” 

“Not well liked by Chief Bogo. Current job promotion prospects? None. Personal feelings toward predators like us? Either bad, or at least, unfavorable,” Tigris observed.

“You’ve done some research?” The fox asked, noting that some of the information she provided supported his case. ‘She probably is trying to be unbiased.’ "That was quick work."

“Yes. I saw you with her and I like to keep informed about celebrities in Zootop. You looked impressed, so I expected something like this. I don’t think-“

The old wolf interrupted her. “Nick and I have discussed this, briefly.”

The big cat’s mouth shut with a nearly audible click, and she went poker-faced. Everyone knew how she felt about rabbits. Actually, she disliked any prey cop, but that was a separate problem. No one here at the table particularly liked Zootop cops, but Grandfather preferred to maintain an image of full cooperation, at least in public. This was usually accomplished by only working with predator members of the ZPD, many of whom were raised at Foxhollow. 

Now Nick said nothing, and Grandfather continued. “We must broaden our support. Yes, she’s a female,” he said, nodding at the lioness. This cat grinned back in the predator way. “Yes, she’s a doe, and a cop. We have no herbivore cops in our ranks, and no rabbits. We need more. Even this Council will need new blood in the fullness of time.”

“You don’t mean-“ from the jackal, speaking for the first time.

“No, no. She won’t be a council member anytime soon, if ever,” the old wolf said, and watched nearly everyone relax. Nick only frowned. 

Everyone in the room had known the old wolf their entire adult lives. They knew him, and more importantly, he knew and trusted them. No mammal here had known, and been known by, Grandfather for less than a decade. Most of these mammals would say they were willing to do absolutely whatever he told them to do.

He valued that loyalty, and found it gratifying. But he also knew that some were only outwardly loyal; he wasn’t certain which ones. Nick, he knew, was loyal inside and out, and, more importantly, he was prepared to use his initiative when necessary and 'speak truth to power'. If Grandfather told the Council tomorrow that he was stepping down in favor of his grandson, Nick would tell the old wolf, privately, that it was a stupid idea and shortsighted. Publicly, he would be in support, but not with any enthusiasm, because everyone knew that Foxhollow could not be given to a sulking child, no matter his bloodline. Both Nick and Grandfather knew that someone would assassinate any leader they found unworthy. For his safety, then, he could not be allowed chairmanship. Not that he would understand, however.

“So the decision has been made, here at least?” Tigris asked. “What does she think of this idea?”

“She doesn't know yet, but, if I ask correctly, and I don’t rush, then I expect no problem. First, I have to be a cop in the ZPD as a sort of quid pro quo.”

“What?” Only the lioness spoke, but Nick registered similar surprise from the others as well.

“It means this for that,” the otter said, winking at the jackal, who ignored him.

“No, I mean-“

“Like I said,” Nick continued, cutting off the lioness, and looking at the other members of the Council one at a time. “She thinks she’s recruiting me and I’m familiar with police work here. I can bring her around, show her the sights, let her hear and smell from up close. Introduce her?”

Some nodded, but most just looked thoughtful. Tigris found herself in favor because she expected this effort to pull Nick out of active Council participation, especially during his Academy training. That could only increase her own importance.

Grandfather interrupted this line of thought. “I will, of course, appoint an interim replacement for Nick on this Council. I was thinking of a fox, possibly Flynn? As we just saw, he’s good with numbers and spreadsheets,” the wolf said, surprising everyone.

After the arguing had died down, Grandfather added, “but I haven’t even asked him yet. I want someone Nick trusts because I think we all need his input, even when he can’t be physically present.”

Now it was the young wolf, and the tigress, scowling. Most of the others continued to look thoughtful. The jackal continued to look bored.

Grandfather looked at Tigris. “Unless you have a suggestion? A feline, or at least a female, that Nick trusts and you trust also?”

“I’ll have to ask around.”

The meeting broke up a little while later, and everyone got up to leave. 

“Nick? Stay a moment?” Grandfather requested. 

The fox waited as the others filed out.

“Good luck,” the otter said. 

Nick closed the door after the last one, and then stood waiting. Grandfather had not risen from his chair. 

“Sit,” the old wolf said, and the fox sat. “Is this what you want?”

“Yes, sir. I believe so. She would be a great benefit to us here, and we need a broader base of support. Having a rabbit-“

“I mean,” the wolf interrupted, “is this what you want? I can see the many benefits to having you spend some time there. But I’m not asking as the leader of Foxhollow. I’m asking what you want, Nick Wilde, or maybe I'd like to know how much you want it.”

The fox paused, thinking. 

“You would have to join their police academy. Put up with all that ‘new guy’ crap again and all that ‘shifty fox’ crap in their prey world. Lots of things you would have to unlearn. Can’t show your teeth. Never fight anyone directly, but always play the victim, the way prey mammals do, when confronted in most social situations. Pretend to agree, or at least, not disagree openly, with their apparently silly ways of doing things that make sense only to them. Take orders from mammals you don't respect, and pretend to like it. I don’t expect it’ll be much fun,” the wolf said. 

“No, not fun. Just… She’s very impressive, you know? I want to know her better, and she’s done the police academy thing when she had to be the first rabbit. Like her, I would be a first.”

“Yes. The first fox. You won’t be able to throw your weight around there the way you do here. Here, you’re a council member. Many see you as my logical successor, and so you have that level of respect. You’d lose that there, in the ZPD, except among the predators we have in the ZPD already, and they can’t show you too much favoritism without alerting, or further alerting, Bogo to what we’re doing.” 

The old wolf paused and looked away. “In any case, it’s late, and my old bones are tired. You need sleep also if you’re going to keep working with her tomorrow as you agreed?”

“Yes, Grandfather,” the fox replied. “Thanks. I'll introduce her to you, probably tomorrow.”

The wolf put his chin down, and fox replied, chin up to expose his neck, and then left the room. He did, indeed, need some sleep before getting back to running around with that rabbit tomorrow.


End file.
